Carbon Cell Introduces a Carbon-Negative Foam Packaging Alternative to Polystyrene

British company Carbon Cell is close to launching a breakthrough carbon-negative foam packaging material that offers a compostable, plastic-free alternative to expanded polystyrene. Made entirely from agricultural waste, the material looks and performs like the conventional foam used in packaging and insulation—without contributing to plastic pollution.

The lightweight rigid foam is created from biochar, a carbon-rich material produced through the pyrolysis of crop waste. Biochar is renewable, sequesters carbon for generations, and maintains this carbon lock even after the material is composted. According to Carbon Cell, each kilogram of their foam removes roughly two kilograms of CO₂ from the atmosphere, making it an environmentally restorative material.

Shortlisted for Material Innovation of the Year at the Dezeen Awards 2025, Carbon Cell was developed by scientist Elizabeth Lee, engineer Eden Harrison and designer Ori Blich while studying at Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art. Their curiosity about biochar’s natural properties—lightness, porosity, insulation and moisture buffering—led them to engineer a foam that behaves remarkably like expanded polystyrene.

To create the material, the team mixes biochar with bio-based polymers to form small rigid pellets. These pellets are then heated using standard polystyrene expansion equipment, “popping” into a closed-cell carbon-negative foam packaging material that can be moulded into various shapes.

At the end of its life, the natural polymer breaks down under home composting conditions, leaving only the biochar behind to enrich soil and store carbon long-term.

Carbon Cell plans to begin production in December for its first pilot applications. While the long-term goal is to replace polystyrene in the building insulation industry, earlier variations are already being prepared for acoustic panels, interior design, thermal packaging, automotive components, plant pots and even set design in film, TV and theatre.

To demonstrate the foam’s versatility, Carbon Cell collaborated with UK design studio Morrama, creating a lamp, plant pots and ring boxes from the material—objects that highlight both its aesthetic potential and environmental value.

As global polystyrene production continues to rise—currently estimated at up to 12.8 million tonnes annually—innovations like Carbon Cell point toward a new generation of carbon-negative foam packaging that reduces waste while actively restoring the environment.

Written by Otávio Santiago, a multidisciplinary designer exploring the intersection of emotion, form, and technology. His practice spans graphic, motion, and 3D design, bridging digital and physical experiences.